Warmth Under the Snow
by theSardonyx
Summary: After Alfred got blinded by his rage and told Arthur to go and get himself stranded in Russia, the latter took it seriously. He was found by Ivan buried in the snow, and Ivan immediately thought that he was his sunflower. But Alfred wants Arthur back. Who will Arthur choose?
1. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

_Be Careful of What You Wish For, You Just Might Get It_

Again. It was the twelfth time that month that Arthur and Alfred had a fight. It was tiring for Arthur, but he had always endured. He had always thought of Alfred first. He had always thought that he loved the American too much to actually leave. But this time was different.

"_I hate you Arthur! Why don't you leave me alone for once? Go somewhere away from me, like Russia. And I wish you get stranded there so you can't get back!"_

Arthur winced. It was the first time Alfred had told him to get lost. And it hurt. His chest tightened and he couldn't breathe.

Alfred. He was leaving again, wasn't he? The last words the American had said swirled around the Brit's mind. He had said that he hated Arthur. He had told Arthur to go and get himself stranded in Russia. He had implied that he didn't want to see the Brit again.

Arthur felt tears slide down his cheek. At any other circumstance, he wouldn't have let them fall. He would have wiped them away. But right then, Arthur was too tired to care. Too confused.

Too hurt.

He thought about Alfred. Was he already asleep? Was he thinking about Arthur?

Arthur chuckled, his voice hollow. Of course not. He had told Arthur to leave him alone, after all. It would be hypocritical of him if he thought of the crying Brit in the living room after what he had said.

Arthur wanted nothing more but to ask Alfred for forgiveness. He didn't know what had spurred the argument, but that didn't matter to him. All he wanted was to be back in his lover's warm embrace.

But Alfred wanted him stranded in Russia.

Arthur stood up slowly, his knees shaking. If that's what Alfred wanted then he'd oblige. With trembling hands, he drew a circle on the hardwood floor, chanting as he went. His fingers drew runes around it and after the last rune had been written, the circle glowed bright blue and Arthur disappeared.

~.;*;.~

"Artie?" Alfred whispered as he went down the stairs and into the living room. The house was eerily quiet, and the American didn't like it one bit. He frowned when he couldn't see Arthur anywhere: not in the guest room, not in the kitchen, not even in the garden. It wasn't like Arthur to leave without prior notice; he was too gentlemanly for that. That's why when Alfred plopped down on the couch an hour later, he had a frown etched on his face.

He sighed. He had wanted to apologize to Arthur. He knew it was another petty argument that they had gotten themselves into, and he knew that he took it too far with what he had said.

"_I hate you Arthur! Why don't you leave me alone for once? Go somewhere away from me, like Russia. And I wish you get stranded there so you can't get back!"_

Alfred grimaced at the memory. He hadn't meant to say such harsh words to the Brit. He was just consumed by his rage. Again.

He wanted to punch himself. He wanted to rip his vocal chords out so he can't say another hurting word to Arthur. He was stupid. He shouldn't have let the night pass without saying anything to the Brit. He shouldn't have said those words in the first place. So many things he knew he shouldn't have done. But it was too late. Arthur was gone.

Another half an hour passed. Alfred had thought of calling Francis, but the Frenchman didn't know where the Brit was either. He had called Kiku too, but he was met once again with a negative answer.

He grunted in frustration. Where could Arthur be? He couldn't have taken Alfred seriously and got himself stranded in Russia... Could he?

It was then that he noticed the weird drawing in one corner of the room. It was a circle with a lot of squiggly line surrounding it. But Alfred thought they looked familiar. Could it be..?

His eyes widened as the truth dawned on him suddenly. Arthur _did _go and got himself stranded in Russia.

...

...

He was screwed.

**/ My first Hetalia chapter fic.! Bear with me if I don't manage to update immediately (meaning at most one week from the most recent update). I'm a little busy at the moment with my CS midterm project, but I really wanted to post this. Please review.! /**


	2. Chapter 2

**/ Sorry if Ivan is very OoC in this chapter. I hope you still enjoy it, though. :) /**

CHAPTER TWO

_A Sunflower in the Winter_

Ivan stared at the dark grey skies of his town. He didn't know why he found it so interesting now, especially since it hasn't really changed at all. But then again, if you're going to see the same scenery for as long as you live anyway, might as well enjoy it.

A cold breeze blew and Ivan buried his face into his lavender scarf. Why was he even out of the house in this weather? He should be at home, drinking vodka and polishing his pipe. But here he was, standing in the middle of a snowy field, his long scarf fluttering in the wind.

He didn't know what, but something had compelled him to go outside. It was a silly notion, he knew, but he trusted his gut. If his gut tells him that there's something important out there, no matter how unlikely, then there must be.

Something suddenly caught his keen eye and his head quickly snapped to where he thought it was. He saw nothing but falling snow, but he knew he saw something. Something... Yellow? How can there be something in this cold barren land that's yellow?

Ivan started trudging to where he thought something had fallen. He still didn't know what he was looking for, nor did he know where to look. But at least he managed to narrow down his search into one general direction, and well, he just had to look for something yellow. Though looking for such would probably be troublesome. The snow piles up too quickly and would cover up anything on the ground that isn't moving.

From the corner of his eye, he saw the snow shift slightly. Anyone would have missed it, but not him. Nothing could get past his eyes.

Once he found the spot where he saw the shift, he started digging. It took him about six to seven minutes to find that particular spot, so he calculated that whatever it was that he saw was already buried in about half a meter of snow. Not wanting to keep the "thing" buried, he picked up his pace.

Soon, his hands brushed something soft, and he gently removed the snow from whatever it was that was buried there. The first few taps uncovered something yellow, blonde hair. Quickly realizing that it was probably a "someone" and not a "something", he started to dig even faster.

Ivan stared at what he had just found. It was a man. He had blonde hair and really thick eyebrows. But those didn't exactly interest him at that time. All he could look at was the man's lips, which seemed to be turning purple in the cold.

Ivan took the lavender scarf off of his neck and wrapped it around the man. He was obviously not dressed up for the weather. But Ivan didn't dwell on that much either. All he could think of was getting the man out of the freezing cold.

He picked the man up and marveled at how small and light he was. Ivan briefly wondered where the man could possibly come from before sprinting towards his house.

~.;*;.~

Ivan stared at the stranger on his bed, his eyes taking in what he didn't have a chance to deeply observe out in the plains. A pink tinged the man's undoubtedly soft cheeks and... Wait. What? Why had he said that?

He mentally slapped himself for that earlier remark and let his eyes wander around the stranger's face once more. They finally rested on a pair of plump lips that looked so soft and kissable...

Ivan couldn't help but physically slap himself that time. What was wrong with him? He couldn't be finding this stranger attractive, especially since that stranger is a man. He just doesn't swing that way.

Or does he?

He growled in frustration. Why was he questioning his sexuality now? He was sure that the attraction would pass, that he would go back to his old self again after a few moments, but that didn't happen. Ivan found himself attracted more and more to the man the longer he looked. More than once he found himself wanting to kiss the stranger, and the more he thought of it the more frustrated he got.

After a few more moments, he couldn't take it anymore. He inched closer to the man on his bed and brought his face close. He told himself that he was just going to take a look, but even with the self-control that he had, he still found it hard to restrain himself. And as much as he didn't want to compare himself to Sleeping Beauty's prince, Ivan did exactly what he did in the story: he kissed the "princess" on the bed.

He found the man's lips softer than they looked and he didn't want to let go. He thought of the awkwardness of it all, and decided to open his eyes, but he wasn't prepared for what he saw.

The man had woken up and is staring at Ivan with wide eyes. And the shocked look on those bright green eyes only mesmerized him more.

**/ I wasn't sure whether to end this chapter with the kiss itself or this, but I really wanted to end it with that last line. :) Please review.! /**


	3. Chapter 3

**/ Thank you to the 22 people who are following this story, and also the 11 who added this to their favorites. I'm so happy, you guys.! Well, then, onward.!/**

CHAPTER THREE

_Getting Off on The Left Foot_

The next thing Ivan noticed was the stinging pain on one of his cheeks. He put a hand up to touch it, but it seems that the stranger wasn't quite done yet.

"What did you think you were doing, you bloody wanker?" the man exclaimed, his face bright red. Ivan didn't know whether it was because of embarrassment or anger, but he knew one thing: he found it cute.

"I thought I had to give you a kiss to wake you up. It goes that way in that story, da?" Ivan smiled at him. The man's cheeks grew redder, and Ivan didn't even think it was possible.

"I'm no bloody Sleeping Beauty," the man grumbled, looking away. Ivan chuckled lightly. Every move that the stranger makes just makes Ivan think of him more attractive than before.

"So you say. I am Ivan Braginski. You call me Ivan, da?"

"I'm Arthur Kirkland. Nice to meet you, Ivan," the man said, holding out a hand. Ivan promptly shook it.

When Arthur's hand slid from his, Ivan felt the urge to chase it and keep it close. But he didn't actually do it. They'd already started on the wrong foot, and he wanted to grow closer to the man in front of him. He'd try his hardest to restrain himself, but it would probably be hard considering all the adorable movements that Arthur was making.

"So," Ivan began. He had to make a good impression from now on. "How'd you end up here?"

~.;*;.~

"What do you mean there aren't any flights to Russia?" Alfred exclaimed, slamming his hands on the desk in front of him. The woman behind it trembled in fear. Why was this man so violent anyway?

"Well, the weather in Russia is a bit bad right now," she tried saying in a professional manner, but the tremor in her voice was evident. "According to the news we received, the runways are completely covered in snow, therefore planes can't land there at the moment."

Alfred growled and let out a long string of curses. The woman frowned at the colorful words coming out of his mouth, but she was still shaken from his earlier outburst to stop him. She couldn't help being relieved that he had gone somewhere else, but she also wondered why he was so furious. What's there to find in Russia anyway?

She watched him sit in one of the nearby chairs and put his face in his hands, his back trembling. Whatever it was, it must have been really important to him.

~.;*.;~

"So, you are, what's the word, gay?" Ivan asked after hearing Arthur's story.

Arthur narrowed his eyes at the Russian. "And?"

"Nothing," Ivan shrugged. "I was just asking. Nothing wrong with that, da?"

Arthur's expression didn't change. Ivan cursed himself internally. He was not making things better at all.

"Would you like something warm to drink?" Ivan asked.

Arthur nodded absently, welcoming the change in topic. A few minutes later, Ivan came back with a steaming mug. Arthur took a sip and found it tasted like fruity tea.

"What is this? It doesn't taste like anything I've had before," he murmured, a corner of his lip twitching upward. The tea in his hands made his mood considerably better and he had completely forgotten about his hostility towards his host.

"Sbiten," Ivan answered, glad to hear the change in Arthur's demeanor. "We drink it during the winter. It tastes a little like tea, da?"

Arthur hummed, his lips still pressed against the mug. He was still on Ivan's bed, his back resting on the headboard. He had his knees close to him. Ivan thought he looked like a little kid. And the Russian found it incredibly cute.

"Thanks," Arthur said softly. Ivan trained his eyes on the Briton who fidgeted under the gaze. Nonetheless, Arthur continued. "Thank you... For taking me in after you found me in the snow. For... Well, Saving me."

Ivan smiled, noting how the blonde's cheeks grew redder with every word. Not for the first time, he resisted the urge to hug the smaller man tightly. They may have started on the wrong foot, but at least now things were lighter between them.

_Oh, the wonders of tea_, Ivan chuckled to himself.

**/ Please review.! They're fuel to this hungry writer. :) /**


	4. Chapter 4

**/ Hurrah, an update! I'm updating quite fast for these few chapters, and I hope it'll last until the end of this story. I'm loving every word I write in this and I'm trying my best to make it a story that people will love. (Hopefully, this story will also move others to shipping RusEng. :P) Thanks for all the reviews, follows, and favorites, guys! /**

CHAPTER FOUR

_Magic is the Best Way to Get Work Done_

Alfred paced back and forth across the living room, his face scrunched up in concentration. How was he going to get to Russia now? He knew he was wasting valuable time. Every second he stayed in his house was the equivalent of a second of Arthur's life. Maybe not even. Arthur had left home not fit for the cold Russian climate. He was probably freezing to death out there.

The thought scared Alfred more than anything. He didn't want to lose Arthur. He wanted his lover back in his arms. He wanted to kiss the Brit's soft lips, tousle his hair and touch his pale cheeks. He wanted to hug the smaller man until he couldn't breathe anymore. He wanted to hear Arthur's voice calling his name.

To put it simply, Alfred wanted his lover back.

But how was he going to look for Arthur if he's in Russia and Alfred's in America?

Alfred glanced at the runes in one corner of the room. He could go the same way the Briton did, but he didn't know how to do it. He was pretty sure using magic required a chant at least, and Alfred didn't know any. If only you can read about how to do magic...

And then it hit him. Of course! He _could_ read about magic. Only the books he needed are in Arthur's house in London...

Alfred wasted no time in grabbing his jacket and storming out the door, praying to the gods that flights to England weren't cancelled too.

~.;*;.~

"Let's continue with your story, da?" Ivan asked. He and Arthur were sitting on the couch a few inches from each other. He wished they could be closer, but he thought that it probably wouldn't be a good idea. So he stayed where he was and tried to make small talk. "Why did you fall from the sky? You jumped off a plane?"

Arthur chuckled softly. "No. I used magic to get here, but I didn't specify coordinates. So the spell just put me in the general area of Russia. I didn't expect to fall from the sky though."

"Magic?" Ivan asked, astounded. "You used magic?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Not you too. Magic does exist. How else could you explain my falling?"

Ivan laughed. "No, that is not it. I do believe in magic. It is not bad to be surprised, da?"

"I suppose," Arthur mumbled.

"I can only do a few curses," Ivan said. Then he pulled out his pipe from under the couch and showed it to the Brit. "Because most of the time I prefer to have my enemies meet my pipe. It requires less concentration, da?"

Arthur gulped. He's going to make sure he doesn't become Ivan's enemy. "I... I suppose so..." he stammered.

Ivan felt amused. Arthur looked like a scared little rabbit now, and that only served to make the Russian feel more attracted to the Brit. Somehow, he noticed that every little thing about Arthur made Ivan like him more.

"Do not worry," Ivan said with a warm smile. "I wouldn't hurt you. You're too cute."

Arthur quickly forgot about his fear. "Who... Who are you calling cute? I am not cute, you git!"

Ivan laughed. "So you say." He continued laughing even as Arthur sent a flurry of attacks his way.

~.;*;.~

Alfred trudged into the living room of Arthur's house, dripping wet. It was raining heavily throughout London, and by any other circumstance, he would have complained about the weather. But not then. He didn't have time and breath to waste.

After throwing his soaked coat on the couch, Alfred made his way to the basement where he knew Arthur's spellbooks would be. He wasn't exactly sure if his plan would work; after all, he knew nothing about magic. He didn't even believe in it! But if Arthur was able to go to Russia that way, surely he can too.

Seeing Arthur's basement always left Alfred amazed even though it's full of stuff that he didn't believe would work. There was a cauldron in the center of the room, the walls were lined with shelves full of books and jars of different shapes and sizes, and on one corner sat a chair. Draped on it was a purple cloak and on the seat was a wand. Alfred sighed. He even missed Arthur's strange antics, even though he's always called the Brit crazy because of them.

Alfred looked back at the various leather-bound books that decorated the walls. He sighed and ran a hand through his blonde hair. "Well," he said stretching his arms and cracking his knuckles. "Looks like this'll be a long night."

**/ Is it weird for me to feel like my chapters are too short? All of my chapters so far are less than 1k words. Do you guys think the pace is alright? Review and let me know! :) /**


	5. Chapter 5

**/ Hey guys.! I'm back.! I feel like I haven't updated in forever. I just took my Lit midterms earlier, and I'm celebrating because I finished it within the time limit. Anyhow, here's your chapter. :) /**

CHAPTER FIVE

_Getting to Know Each Other_

"I want to know more about you," Arthur suddenly said over breakfast. Ivan nearly choked on his toast.

"Why do you suddenly say that?" Ivan asked.

Arthur shrugged. "I just thought it would do us good. I mean, if we're going to stay together for a while then it makes sense doesn't it? Ah, I mean, it's not like I'm planning to stay with you for long! It's just... I mean..." Arthur stammered, his face a dark shade of red.

Ivan smiled at the blushing Brit in front of him. "I don't mind," he said.

Arthur perked up, his eyes bright. "Really?"

Ivan nodded. "Actually, I wouldn't mind if you stayed here for the rest of your life."

"I... I would hate to impose..." the Brit responded as he lowered his head. Ivan frowned when he lost sight of the smaller man's emerald eyes and reached across the table to tilt Arthur's head up.

"It's okay," he said and smiled. "We are friends, da? Also, I would not mind sharing the house with somebody as adorable as you are."

"You... You..." Arthur stammered and blushed again. He noticed that his face kept heating up in front of the Russian which, to him, seems really strange. "I am not adorable, git."

"Da, da. If that will make you happy," Ivan rolled his eyes and laughed. "So, what would you like to know about me?"

~.;*;.~

Alfred groaned and opened his eyes, wondering why he couldn't feel warm sheets around him. He sat up and stretched, taking note that he was in a basement surrounded by books...

He jolted awake at the sudden realization. He remembered his empty house, the cancelled flights to Russia, the runes on the corner of the living room...

Arthur.

Alfred sighed. He must've fallen asleep while looking through Arthur's spellbooks. He couldn't understand the chants written, but he thanked Arthur's notes on the margins of the books for giving him at least a bit of information about the spells. He knew they weren't enough, but he was determined. Learning how to use magic in a week would be better than waiting for the snow in Russia to stop falling.

He stared at the ceiling for a while, a melancholic expression on his face. How was Arthur now? Was he still alive? Did somebody find him and took him in? Alfred wished that Arthur was alright, that he was fine, that he was healthy.

That he still loved Alfred.

Alfred sighed again and picked himself from the floor. He knew now that he can't just study magic on his own. He has to learn from someone who actually knows something about it.

Picking up a couple of spellbooks and tucking them in him arms, Alfred rushed upstairs and grabbed his coat. He knew he was probably already too late, but he was not giving up. He was going to find Arthur no matter what.

For the third time since the night of the fight, Alfred rushed off to a nearby airport, this time praying that Norway was still accessible to the world.

~.;*;.~

Ivan smiled cheerfully as he watched Arthur bend over and laugh hard. The Brit's face was flushed with all the laughing and he was clutching his sides.

"_Boing! Boing!_" Arthur repeated as another burst of giggles cam out of his mouth. "Are you serious?"

"Da," Ivan replied. "My sister is not very good at hide and seek because she keeps on getting found. Apparently, this is how the seekers find her."

Arthur laughed again. "It reminds me of the time when me and that bloody frog used to play hide and seek too," he said, wiping a tear off his eye. "He could never find me. I was too small so I can hide almost anywhere. Meanwhile, he was very easy to find since he always insisted on hiding where nothing can ruin his clothes and hair."

"He is such a vain frog, da?" Ivan said. He was enjoying their talk. They have been talking about each other for six hours, and they hadn't run out of stories to tell yet. They even skipped lunch. Time passed by too fast for both of them to actually notice.

"Sure is!" Arthur chirped. "So is..." He trailed off suddenly, his expression turning sad.

"What's wrong?" Ivan asked, worried. He hadn't said anything wrong, had he? They were having so much fun just earlier. How could that have been ruined in an instant?

"I..." Arthur began, his shoulders trembling and tears threatening to spill from his eyes. "I'm sorry, Ivan. I'm sorry." With that, he rushed off towards the bedroom.

Ivan stared after Arthur, confused. What could it have been? It made Arthur sad, and Ivan felt a pang in his chest. He couldn't stand it. He didn't want to see Arthur sad. He wanted to see Arthur's bright smile, he wanted to hear Arthur's melodic laugh, he wanted to see Arthur happy.

Ivan stood up and went to the kitchen to put the kettle on. Maybe a cup of black tea could cheer the Brit up.

**/ T_T So not original. I know I already used that tea thing before, but I couldn't end it any other way. The original plan was to end it with *spoileralert!* Ivan deciding to give Arthur a tour of his place. However, in didn't work out quite well, so I just decided to omit that part and put it in the next chapter. I hope you still enjoyed the chapter though. To let me know what you think, please review.! /**


	6. Chapter 6

**/ Guys, I am so sorry for the late update. I had some trouble with the latter half of this chapter, and I couldn't figure out why. As of now, I'm blaming my midterm paper in Lit (heck, an 11-page synthesis essay?) and the hell week I've been through. Anyways, enjoy this chapter.! /**

CHAPTER SIX

_Asking for Help_

"Why are you here?" greeted Lukas, eyeing the man in front of him warily. What could the obnoxious American be doing in Norway?

"I need your help," Alfred said shortly. Lukas raised an eyebrow and Alfred continued. "I need to learn how to use magic."

Lukas was clearly taken aback. Alfred wanted to learn magic? What for? And didn't he have Arthur to ask if he really wanted to know about it?

"Why not ask Arthur?" he finally asked.

Alfred rubbed the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly. "That's the thing. You see, Arthur went and got himself to Russia, and I want to get him back. But flights to Russia are cancelled and there's no other way and..."

"Why is Arthur even in Russia in the first place?" Lukas asked and he could've sworn he saw the American flinch.

"It's kind of a long story..." Alfred responded.

"Tell me anyway," was Lukas's response.

Alfred took a deep breath. "After this story, if you want to slap me or beat me up or curse me for being such an insufferable jerk, I won't mind. Just... Help me get to Arthur."

Lukas raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms over his chest. "I'll decide once you're done."

"Okay then," Alfred said, clearing his throat. "Here goes..."

~.;*;.~

Ivan peered out the window and smiled as he saw the orange and red of the sunset. It was the perfect time to take Arthur to "that place". He was sure that the Brit would like the view there, and it might take his thoughts from whatever was bothering him earlier.

Ivan knocked on Arthur's door. "Arthur," he called. "There's this very nice place that I want to show you."

No response. Ivan frowned. He didn't like being ignored by the Brit. He was about to force the door open when he heard a muffled sound from inside the room.

"Arthur?" he asked.

Worried, Ivan opened the door and peered inside. Arthur was slouched on the floor beside the bed, his head buried in a pillow. Ivan felt a pang in his heart. It hurt to see Arthur like that. He hated to see Arthur like that.

Ivan stepped closer and wrapped his arms around the smaller man. He could feel Arthur stiffen, but Ivan didn't let go.

"I'm sorry," Ivan whispered, though he knew he didn't do anything. He knew those words shouldn't be uttered by him. But he said them nonetheless.

Arthur relaxed and lifted his head from the pillow, eyes red from crying. He wiped his tears off with his sleeves and forced a smile at the Russian hugging him.

"There's no reason for you to be sorry," he mumbled.

"Maybe there isn't, but I'm still sorry," the Russian replied.

Arthur kept silent. The situation was very strange to him, unfamiliar. He barely knew Ivan, even tough they talked a lot earlier that day. But the Russian was more than willing to offer Arthur the help he needed. Arthur was grateful, but it was still strange to him.

"Come with me," Ivan whispered, as if he was afraid that if he talked too loudly, Arthur would push him away. "I will show you a very nice place, da? Now is a good time to go there since the view is best during sunset."

Arthur knew Ivan was trying to cheer him up. He knew since the Russian had brought him that cup of tea after he had stormed into his room. He smiled, this time a little more sincere than earlier.

Ivan couldn't help but feel relieved. He gave Arthur a smile of his own and the two men made their way out the door.

~.;*;.~

"You," Lukas said, glaring at the American in front of him. "are an idiot."

"I know," Alfred said sadly. "I was an idiot. And I think I still am. But I want to show Arthur that I love him, that I didn't mean anything that I said that night. So please, please help me, Lukas."

Lukas continued glaring at Alfred. After a while, Alfred thought it was useless to beg anymore and, with his shoulders drooping, started on his way.

"Wait," he heard the Norwegian call, and almost immediately, Alfred brightened up.

Lukas eyed him warily. "Look, I'm not doing this because I want to help you. Arthur is my friend, and I will forever hate you since you hurt him. But..." He gave Alfred a meaningful look and continued. "I know that Arthur loves you. If he's going to be happy once you find him, so be it."

Alfred smiled.. "Thanks, Lukas."

"Get in," Lukas said, holding the door open for the American. "We start immediately."

**/ And there. Now that I look at it, nothing much has happened here, huh? I'm sorry... T_T I promise there will be more stuff happening in the next chapters. Although, I think the story wouldn't be able to progress without this chapter, so it's still a necessary part of the story. Thanks for reading, and please review.! (It might help prevent whatever it was that I got for the past two weeks...) /**


	7. Chapter 7

**/ Hey guys.! I have a four-day weekend ahead, so you can expect a fast update after this chapter. But it might take a while again after that... Ah, sad life for me. Too much schoolwork. T_T /**

CHAPTER SEVEN

_It's All Greek to Me_

"You're pronouncing it wrong again!" Lukas looked exasperatingly at Alfred. The American's accent kept getting in the way of his chanting and ruining the spells. Once, a simple lock-opening spell turned Lukas's tie into a snake and Lukas wasn't very happy about it.

"I can't help it!" Alfred said. "I mean, all these chants... They all look Greek to me."

"They aren't written in Greek; they're written in Latin," Lukas retorted. He knew what Alfred was trying to tell him, but he was already tired and irritated with Alfred's progress. Or lack thereof.

Alfred sighed. "I'm sorry," he muttered, his head hung low. "I don't want to give up on this. There's no other way, but..." he trailed off, but the Norwegian knew what he wanted to say.

"You'll have to learn how to read Latin properly if you want to be able to do this successfully," Lukas said. "Of course, I could just teach you Celtic magic instead, but I don't think you'll find it easier, especially since you'll have to learn the Celtic symbols first. Since we're considering time here too, Latin spells are the way to go."

"Can't you teach me how to read them properly? I mean, you seem to know when I'm mispronouncing things, so..."

"I only know when you slip up because I've heard Arthur say them before. You do realize that I didn't know that your lock-opening spell would go awry," Lukas said, getting irritated at the American once again.

"Yeah, sorry about that," Alfred said sheepishly. "Do you know anyone who could?"

"Since you're going to learn Latin, I'd suggest going to where it was first spoken," Lukas said.

"Where is that?" Alfred asked. He wasn't keen on the idea of taking another flight as his body clock's already too confused, but if it was really necessary, then he'd oblige. Fortunately for him, the country they were going to was in the same timezone.

"Where else?" Lukas asked, rolling his eyes. "Rome, of course."

~.;*;.~

"Where are we going, Ivan?" Arthur asked. Both he and the Russian had been trudging the snow for a good ten minutes and the "nice place" that Ivan had talked about was still nowhere in sight. The house that they came from looked like a speck from where they were.

Arthur grew worried. Ivan couldn't be getting rid of him, could he? He knew he hadn't been a gracious guest, but that's not enough to send someone to die in the cold after saving them, right? Arthur shivered. Surely not?

Suddenly, Ivan stopped and looked alarmed. "We should hurry," he said, sprinting forward. "Or else we won't make it."

Arthur got a sense of dread, but ran after Ivan nonetheless. He wasn't used to running in the snow, however, and he kept on tripping. Ivan looked back and laughed. Arthur felt his cheeks glowing red in embarrassment, and he buried his face in the snow.

Arthur felt himself being lifted and he yelped as Ivan shifted him so that the Russian had an arm around his shoulders and under his knees. He felt his face grow hot and Ivan chuckled.

"You are too slow so I will carry you, da?" Ivan asked, running towards their destination. Arthur didn't respond. He was too busy hiding his face from the Russian.

After a few moments, Ivan finally set the smaller man down. "Here it is," he announced and Arthur opened his eyes slowly. It was a view of the sunset with a tree blocking the sun. But even so, it looked magical to the two men watching.

The tree's branches made the upper part of the tree circular and matched the size of the setting sun completely. On the branches were patches of snow and they glistened under the light, making them look like they're glowing. And the best part was the wind blowing off the snow. The silver specks looked like fairies dancing around the tree.

Arthur let out the breath he hadn't known he was holding. The spectacle was gone in a matter of seconds, but he knew that it had served its purpose. He smiled. He knew why Ivan brought him there. And he was really grateful for it.

"It was pretty, da?" Ivan asked, looking at the man beside him. "You cannot see sunsets often here in Russia, but when you do and you look at it through here, it is breathtaking."

"Breathtaking indeed," Arthur murmured. He smiled at Ivan warmly and the other man returned the gesture. "Thank you."

"I wanted to cheer you up," Ivan admitted. "I wanted to see your smile again, the happy one from when we were talking and laughing. It hurts when I look at you and you're sad. You shouldn't be sad when you're with me."

Arthur stared at Ivan in surprise, not knowing what to say. He knew he was blushing again, and it still felt strange, but there was something new in what he was feeling. His stomach felt like it was full of butterflies and his heart seemed to want to get out of his chest. He felt light too, like he was flying. But he knew he wasn't sick. So why was he getting all these feelings?

"Why?" Arthur managed to choke out. He clutched his chest to make sure his heart was still inside. "Why do you care about me so much? We've only known each other for a couple of days, and yet... Why?"

Ivan's cheeks turned a little pink. "I... I can't explain," he said, tugging at his scarf. "I feel my stomach flipping and my heart beats too fast that it hurts. It's strongest when you're smiling. It's a foreign feeling, but I... I like it. I don't feel sick at all, and I'm sure I'm not."

Arthur's blush deepened. Ivan was feeling the same things he does. Sure, he described them differently, but they were the same. He stayed silent and Ivan though he needed to add more to his previous statements.

"And I get the urge to kiss you everytime. I want to hug you and kiss you and kiss you again. You might want to get back to where you came from, but I want to keep you. I want you to stay with me forever." A pause. "I think... No, I'm sure... I love you, Arthur."

**/ T_T Fail description of the view. It was so pretty in my head, but then I write about it and mess up. Sorry, guys. Also, what do you think of Ivan's confession? Review and let me know. :) /**


	8. Chapter 8

**/ Hey guys.! Told you I'd be updating fast. Unfortunately, this marks the end of my four-day long weekend, and I have to start prepping myself for another week of college. *sighs* Anyway, enjoy.! /**

CHAPTER EIGHT

_Trouble Brewing_

"What makes you think I'll teach the hamburger bastard?" shouted an angry Italian at the two foreigners in front of him. It wasn't often that he received guests, but he's not desperate enough to wish for the scary Norwegian and idiot American to turn up at his doorstep. And they were demanding a tutoring service.

"Please, I really need help," Alfred pleaded. He didn't have time to argue with the Italian; he already lost too much time as it was. But he had to endure. He kept reminding himself that learning how to teleport to Russia was better than waiting for all the snow in Russia to clear.

"And?" the Italian's eyes narrowed at Alfred. "Whose fault was it anyways? Besides, if I had my way, I wouldn't ever let you near Arthur again. So what makes you think I'm helping you get to him?"

"Because he might be lost without a home there? Did you think of that, Lovino?" Lukas quipped, but the Italian snapped at him.

"I wasn't asking you, Lukas."

"Because I have to set things right," Alfred cried. He was already blaming himself for everything that had happened, and it didn't help that Arthur's friends were overprotective of him. That and they all live in different countries.

"I need to apologize to him," Alfred continued, his head hung. "I need to tell him that he means a lot to me, that I'm an idiot for not showing him the love he deserved. I..." he trailed off, tears suddenly sprouting from his eyes and falling on the doormat below.

"O-oi..." Lovino chuckled nervously. "Alright, you've proved your worth. Now get in before you freeze there." He gestured for them to come in. "And before anybody sees you crying at my doorstep," he added softly.

Lukas gave a lopsided grin to the Italian, who saw it as a smirk and scoffed at it, before leading the way inside the house.

~.;*;.~

Arthur and Ivan walked home in heavy silence. The crunch of their feet on the snow echoed through the gloom. None of them spoke; the silence was too delicate.

Ivan let Arthur ponder about how to respond to his confession. He didn't know what had possessed him to confess at the time, but he knew he said it at the right time. His gut told him so. And his gut is always right.

The Briton, meanwhile, was thoroughly confused. He couldn't understand why he keeps on getting flustered when Ivan smiles at him, especially during Ivan's confession. The Russian had thought that the butterflies in his stomach, the loud thumping of his heart, and the desire to protect is love. _Love_. It couldn't be the same for Arthur...

Could it?

But Arthur loved Alfred!

Did he?

Arthur groaned. He was confused. He didn't know what to make of his situation. But he knew he would have to answer Ivan soon.

Why was he even hesitating? Arthur knew he still loved Alfred. The American, stupid as he was, couldn't be easily replaced in his heart. So why can't he just reject the Russian already?

Ivan noticed Arthur's discomfort and panicked inwardly. "Are you alright, Arthur?" he asked.

Arthur snapped out of his thoughts. "Oh, sorry about that. I was just... Thinking," he replied.

"Is it about... My confession?" Ivan inquired. When Arthur nodded, he smiled. "It's okay. You can take your time thinking about it, da?" The two men stopped walking and Ivan knelt in front of the Brit. "Just remember that my feelings won't change, da?"

"Ivan..." Arthur began. "Are you really sure that you..."

"Yes," Ivan said without hesitation. "You might think it's a bit fast. Actually, even I think that it's fast. But that doesn't matter. I have learned to follow what my gut tells me, you know. And my gut, and my heart, knows. I will say it again and again if you want me to. And every time I say it, the more I'll know that what I feel is true."

Arthur remained silent, his gaze transfixed at Ivan's purple eyes. The world around him was quiet, like it wants Arthur to hear the fast beating of his heart. One part of Arthur's mind told him that he loved Ivan too. But the other half kept reminding him of Alfred. Which one was he going to choose, Alfred or Ivan?

Arthur shifted uncomfortably and tried to give Ivan a small smile. Ivan saw and gave his own before taking both of Arthur's hands in his.

"Я тебя люблю," Ivan said. "I love you, Arthur."

As soon as Ivan said that, raucous laughter sounded from behind him. He stood up and faced the laughter, hiding Arthur from the guffawing men.

"What's this? Braginski's actually a faggot?" one of the newcomers sneered in Russian.

"There is nothing wrong with loving someone of the same gender," Ivan replied, unfazed. "At least I found someone to love who might actually love me back. Unlike you, who has been dumped more times than you actually asked."

"Why you little..." the man who spoke turned red in anger and embarrassment and pulled out a dagger from his pocket. "I'm going to get you this time, Braginski."

Arthur stared at the dagger in alarm. He tugged at Ivan's scarf and asked, "Ivan? Why did he..."

"Arthur," Ivan cut the Briton off, his eyes not leaving his opponents. "You should run."

With that, Ivan took his pipe out from his coat and charged, leaving Arthur confused and afraid.

**/ Sorry about that last scene. It seems a little awkward to me, but it has to happen (I think). Just to be clear, the conversation between Ivan and the newcomers were in Russian, which is why Arthur is confused because he couldn't understand anything. And to those who were wondering, Я люблю тебя is Russian for "I love you". Thanks for reading.! And drop a review, 'kay? /**


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